State Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) has been a champion in the Illinois House in the battle against ticks in the state of Illinois. Swanson believes that schools should have a protocol for the removal of ticks found on students.
House Bill 4274 was given approval in committee on Wednesday and now heads to the full House for consideration.
The measure requires, before the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, a school board to establish procedures on tick removal consistent with the guidelines developed by the Department of Public Health. It Includes provisions relating to preserving the tick for possible testing by the parent or guardian and school district immunity for tick removal.
The bill also Requires the Department of Public Health to do all of the following no later than July 1, 2025:
- Issue guidelines on how to remove and safely store a tick;
- Publish the guidelines issued and a model form on the Department’s website;
- Provide public testing lab information to schools;
- Issue a model form that schools shall send to the parents or guardians of students who have been identified as having been bitten by a tick;
- Make available to schools, upon request and free of charge, tick removal kits consisting of tweezers, bandages, a seal-able plastic bag, an alcohol wipe, repellent wipes, an information card, and a tick identification card.
